Heel socket



C. H. CLARK New. 22, 1949 HEEL SOCKET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 19, 1947 152%972 Z01: Char Z SECZCLTZZ Nov. 22, 1949 c. H. CLARK 2,438,963

\ HEEL SOCKET Filed May 19, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 fizvenior: I

C/ZZ 6.515 Clan Z5 Patented Nov. 22, 1949 PATENT OFFICE HEEL SOCKET Charles .H; Clark, Mill Valley, Calif., assignor, by decreeof court. and. assignment of one-half to Juliafl). Clarkandone-half to Paul F. Schumatt r; San Francisco, Calif.

Application May 19, 1947, Serial No. 749,008 6 Claims. (01. 91)

My invention relates toa heel .socket of that type which adapted for; use in connection with water. craft and .other. devices. for engaging and bracing the feet of.individuals;,when ..propelling or. operating saidcraft ordevices, such for instance as when paddlingor rowing a canoe or what I have chosen to term a cruise board. More particularly thisimprovement is incorporated into the deck of a cruise board, paddle board, raft or other types of watercraft and otherdevices.

The. primary, object .of the. invention is tov provide. heel sockets in the. deck-or surface of a water craft by which the heel portion of .the foot of the user may be. engaged to bracea person while assuming sitting posture. Another object .is to provide a heel engagingsocket which is so con-. structed as toengag'e. and brace. the heel portion of a footorto engage. the. heel portion of foot wearwithout. causingv soreness, .wear or injury. Another object isthe. production of a heel structure which is detachably securedto the deck or othersurface of an object whereby the parts of thesocket. structure are. replaceable when worn or .injured,.. or. wheneveredesired. Among still further objects are maximum simplicity and effectiveness of construction and use. Another object is to provide foot bracing means on the deck or surface of a cruise board or' other water craft so as to brace the -feet Of..-anindividual when paddling, rowing or propelling thecraft.

In the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, Fig. l is a'pl'an of my improved heel socket structure. when applied to a Sectional portion. o iherdeckofa Water. craft, such as a paddle board or sur.f .board; Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the structure shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3' is a longitudinal sectionsat increased scale taken on the 1ine.3.3. of .Fig. .1-;.Fig. 4 isa side elevational view of the elastic diaphragm holder when removed from the structure shown in Fig. 3, a portion thereof being broken away and in section; Fig. 5 is a plan of the filler band which is employed for holding the elastic diaphragm in distended condition in the socket member; Fig. 6 is a bottom plan of the socket frame when removed from the deck of the water craft; Fig. 7 is a sectional view taken on the line 33' of Fig. 1, showing the position assumed by the parts when the heel of a foot engages the socket; Fig. 8 is a plan of the deck of a cruise board at reduced scale showing the application in use of a pair of my improved heel sockets, and Fig. 9 is a side elevational view of an alternative construction of the elastic diaphragm holder, a por- In the drawing, A indicates in general a portion of the deck panel of what I have chosen to term a cruise board. A pair of openings such as ID are provided in the deck panel A of the cruise board, in suitable position to receive a pair of my improved socket members, such as B, and in suitable position (Fig. 8), to be engaged by the heel portions of the feet of the person who is seated upon and propels the Water craft by paddling, rowing, etc. The opening it is elongated and sufficiently wide to freely receive either the heel portion of a foot or the heel portion of a shoe or other foot wear. An upper compartively thick rectangular marginal frame ll having a socket opening i 2 corresponding with the opening in the deck panel is placed around the latter opening and fastened in the manner hereinafter described.

A lower reinforcing frame 13, corresponding withthe marginal contour of the upper deck frame I! is secured around and below the opening it) in the deck panel A and is fastened by screws i l and/or other suitable means as hereinafter described, whereby a strong Wear resist ing marginal rim is produced around the socket opening.

A resilient diaphragm C is provided horizontally across and seals the socket opening to prevent waterentering the hull of the cruise board. This diaphragm is composed of-rubber or other suitable elastic or waterproof material. An elongated marginal supporting band l5 conforms with the edge of the opening I2 and has the diaphragm C fastened to its lower surface by cementing or other suitable means. The diaphragm C isretained taut across the opening within said band. The band including the diaphragm is removably held between theframeB and the upper surface of the deck panel A as shown in Fig. 3. Previous to or while the diaphragm and its outer holding band l-5 are placed, an inner filler band l6 (Fig. 5) is forced upwardly into the outer band l5, whereby the elastic diaphragm is stretched and distended so that the frame B and the outer and inner bands l5 and I6 are securely and removably clamped to the deck panel A and lower reinforcing frame l3 by the application of screws M or other suitable means. In this manner a watertight connection is produced by my improved heel socket in the deck panel.

Previous to fastening the frame B and the bands I5 and I6 to the surface of the deck panel A the reinforcing frame [3 may be fastened to the inner or lower surface of the deck panel A surrounding the socket opening I!) by nailing or tion thereof being broken away and in section. other suitable means.

A cushioning cover D composed of relatively soft flexible waterproof or resistant material is arranged in the heel socket. This cover is formed out of a sheet of comparatively thick sponge rubher or other suitable material and is shaped with a wide body portion 20 which is fastened by cementing, nailing and/or other Suitable means to the rearward portion of the surface of the frame B. Extending forwardly from the body portion 20 of the cover is a wide and comparatively long integral tongue 2| which bends down and conforms closely with the inner margin of the opening l0, thus covering and protecting the relatively thin diaphragm C. The soft surface provided by the cover D in the heel socket, cushions the heel portion of the foot or shoe when pressed against the forward stop end portion of the frame B and prevents abrasion, wear and injury of the diaphragm.

When the heel is applied against the forward end portion of the socket frame B the cover D and the diaphragm give or bend downwardly and inwardly under the weight or force applied by the foot as shown in Fig. 7, thus conforming and permitting the heel portion to engage the forward end portion of the frame in the heel socket while the diaphragm maintains the opening through the deck .panel sealed.

Any :water which tends to collect in the heel socket is permitted to drain and escape through the vent passages 22, over the surface of the deck panel.

In Fig. 9 an alternative construction of the diaphragm holding band I is provided with two elastic diaphragms CC' which afford additional protection to prevent water leaking through the socket opening l2 into the hull of the water craft.

Modifications are contemplated within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

I-claim:

1. Heel engaging socket means for water craft, comprising a supporting deck surface having a socket opening therein, a heel engaging frame bordering the rim of said socket opening, and a resilient diaphragm removably retained by said frame, sealing said opening and adapted normally to conform with a heel when inserted in said socket and engaged by said frame.

2. In a structure as defined by claim 1, drainage duct means extending outwardly from said diaphragm.

3. Heel engaging socket means for water craft, comprising a supporting deck surface having a socket opening therein, a heel engaging frame bordering the rim of said socket opening, a resilient diaphragm retained within said frame, and a flexible protecting cover secured to said frame and extending over the surface of said diaphragm, said cover and diaphragm being adapted to conform with the heel of an individual when said heel is inserted forwardly in said socket and is engaged by the forward end portion of said frame.

4. Heel engaging socket means for water craft, comprising a supportin deck surface having a socket opening therein, a heel engaging frame bordering the rim of said socket opening, a resilient liquid leak proof diaphragm retained within said frame and a comparatively thick resilient cushioning cover secured to said frame, extending downwardly into said socket and spread over the surface of said diaphragm to protect the latter and cushion the heel of an individual when inserted in said socket and braced against the forward portion of said frame.

5. A foot rest for engaging a heel rportion of a foot or foot wear, comprising a supporting deck surface having a heel receiving socket opening therein, a heel engaging marginal frame bordering the rim above said opening, a band surrounding said opening and interposed between said frame and deck panel, an elastic diaphragm supported by said band across and sealing said opening, and means for securing said frame and band on said deck surface, said diaphragm being adapted to conform with a heel when the latter is engaged in said socket opening.

6. Afoot rest for engaging a heel portion of a foot .or foot wear, comprising a supporting deck surface having a heel receiving socket opening therein, a heel engaging marginal frame bordering the rim above said opening, an outer band encompassing said opening, an elastic diaphragm supported by said .band, an inner band inserted in said outer band and distending said diaphragm into taut condition across the socket opening, said outer and inner bands being retained between said marginal frame and deck surface, and means for removably securing said frame and bands on said deck surface, said diaphragm being adapted to conform with a heel when the latter is engaged in said socket opening.

CHARLES H. CLARK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:'

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

